Knob-positioning machine for musical instruments



Oct; 27, 1925'. 1,559,164

E. J. GULICK KNOB POSITIONING MACHINE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OriginalFiled Nov. 1. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 in 2/61? for 6M4 gag/1% itness Oct:27, 1925,

W z'tn ess Yintr/zj 1,559,164 E. J. GULICK I KNOB POSITIONING MACHINEFOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Original Fil d No 11, 1922- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inven tbimazgmb yfiwwm A ttorn ey Patented Get. 27, 1925.

STATES PA E OF C EDWARD J. GULIGK, or stunner, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0, 0.G. comm, we, or ELK- HART, INDIANA, A CORPORATION or INDIANA.

KNOB-POSITIONING MACHINE FOB;

Application filed November 11, 1922, Serial No. 600,238,. Renewed April9, 1925.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. GULIQK, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Elkhart, county of Elkhart, Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Knob-Positioning l\ I-achines for Musical Instruments, otwhich the following is a specificaton.

This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of musicalinstruments.

Brass instruments are frequently provided with knobs or otherprojections which serve for the support of fulcrum pins connected withvalve levers controlled by the player.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine by means of whichthe knobs may properly positioned on the circumference of an instrumentbody so as to be soldered thereto or secured thereto pern'ianently insome other suitable way.

The invention also has the object of locating positioning devices atselectively predeter-mined points relatively to the instru ment body andof maintaining the knobs prior and during the operation in that positionwhich they are finally to occupy.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine of thischaracter in which the instrun'ient body itself may be selectivelyplaced into a plurality of predetermined positions for the applicationof knobs to certain points of the body.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a bearing for astupor-t for an instrument body which is arranged in a manner so as toquickly effect a release or a hold of the instrument body. whereby thesebodies may readily be inserted into the machine in operative position ormay easily be removed therefrom.

The invention also has the object of providing an improved positioningdevice in which a. positioning plunger is automatically forced withuniform strength into engagement with a knob to be positioned or inwhich the positioning plunger is retained in inoperative position whenso desired.

ll' itll these and numerous other objects in view, an embodiment of theinvention is described in the following specification -.vay of exampleand is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig 21s a nd vie Y e Fig. 3 is a sectional view, partly in elevation onthe 33 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. l shows the indexing wheel on a larger scale;

Fig. 5 illustrates partly in elevation and partly in section on theline5-5 of Fig. l the end bearing for a mandrel;

Fig. 6 is a detail section through one of the knob positioning dew ices;

Fig. 7 is a. front view of one these clamping devices;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, and I Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on theline 9-90f Fig. 6. i i v I A bed 1 of the machine is provided at both ofits ends with brackets 2 and 3 which serve as bearings for an instrumentsupport or mandrel 5, which forms a core for the end of the instrumentbody 10, which has circular cross-section. The bearing bracket near theleft hand end includes a tubular casting at which flares at one end andwhich rotatably supports the mandrel 5. This mandrel, as may be seenfrom Fig. 3, comprises a cylindrical portion 6 located in the tubularpart at, and a tapering or conical portion 7, which is rotatablysupported in the flaring part of the bearing t. This mandrelfurthern'iore is providedavith an ap proximately cylindrical extension 8in alinement with the cylindrical and conical part and terminating in atapering element 9 of a size which is fitted to the enlarged end of theinstru1ne 1 1t body 10.

This body, shown as a saxophone body, is provided with one or moresockets having an upstanding circular flange. The tapering extension 9of the nandrel'has a recess 12 ot' a diameter corresponding to thediameter of the socket, and a, plug 13 is inserted through the socketinto the recess. This plug is held against removal in its axialdirection by being equipped with a cylindrical extension 14, whichenters a. bore 15 centrally located with respect to the recess 12. Thelower part of the extension 1% is provided with athread 16 engaged bythe end of a screw 17 which is threaded nto the mandrel portion 9,whereby aevithdrawal ot' the plug can be efi'ected solely by rotation ofthe same, the screw 17 acting as a locking element to prevent withdrawalin axial direction.

The other bearing bracket 3 also is provided With a tubular Sleevie 19Which is ill slotted on one side and which serves as a bearing for acylindrical pin 20 having a sliding fit within the sleeve 19. A taperingsocket 21 in the pin receives a tapering shank 21 of a mandrel 22, whichenters the reduced part of the saxophone body 10.

In this way the saxophone body is rotatably supported in two bearings itthe pin 20 is in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 or 5. In order topermit the quick release of the saxophone body from the machine the pin20 is forced in axial direction of the body by a spring 23 withinbearing 19, one end engaging the rear of the pin and the other endresting against a screw cap 2a which closes the end of the tubular part1.9. A handle 25 which is secured to the pin 20 is guided in a slot 26in the bearing, this slot being provided at its rear end with one ormore enlargements 27 whereby, after the withdrawal of the pin towardsthe rear, a turning movement may be imparted to the handle 25 and thepin may be held in inoperative position.

An indexing wheel 30 is secured to a tapering extension 31 of shank G bymeans of a pin or the like and is held by a nut 32 against collars 33which are threaded on the bearing 4. This indexing wheel is provided onits circumference with gradating marks indicating the degree of a circleas shown at 34.

On that face of the wheel which is di rected towards the bearing l: theWheel is provided with a plurality of sockets which are suitably spacedand which are arranged on two coi'icentric circles, as may be seen fromFig. 2. These sockets serve for receiving locking pins 37 which areslidably disposed in tubular casings 36 parallel to the bearing 4. Thelocking pins 37 are located at the ends of the plungers 38 controlled bysprings 39. The stems 40 ot' the plungers carry knobs 4-1 which have camsurfaces, as indicated at 4L2 in Fig. 3. These cam surfaces cooperatewith corresponding cam surfaces of nuts 4-3 which are screwed into thesleeves 36, whereby upon rotation ot the handles ll) in a predetermineddirection, a withdrawal of these locking pins 37 may be ellected whileupon rotation of the opposite direction the springs 39 will force thepluugers into a position in which their locking pins enter the sockets35. Pointers 44.: which are secured to the casings 36 cooperate with thegradating marks 34. on the wheel 30 to facilitate the adjustment of thiswheel. and the locking of the wheel in adjusted position.

The bearing brackets 2 and 3 which rise from the bed 1 of the machinealso serve as supports for a bar on which the positioning elements forthe instrument knobs K may be adjusted longitudinallv of the saxophonebody 10. This bar is profs-ably Those parts of the top and bottom of thebar outwardly are provided with a plurality elf transverse notcnes 60arranged in pairs, the notches' in the upper and in the lower part ofthe bar being in alinementwith each other.

The bar 50 serves as support for a plurality of positioning brackets 53which are provided with recesses 53 in conformity with the cross-sectionof the supporting bar 50 so as to be slidable thereon. The attachment orremoval of the brackets 53 from the supporting bar 50 is effectedthrough the provision of a plate 5% which is united with the bracket 53near its upper end 54: by screws 55 and through the provision of aportion 55 which is similarly secured to the bracket 53 near its lowerend. Upon removal of this detachable plate 5% the bracket may be freedfrom the supporting bar 50. The sliding movement of the bracket 53relatively to the bar 50 is furthermore facilitated through theinsertion of a jib 56 near the upper portion of the bra ket, the lowersurface of this jib being made in conformity with. the upper edgeportion of the supporting bar 50. A screw 57 threaded into the upperportion of the bracket enters the jib 56, to hold the same againstdisplacement relatively to the bracket, and to adjust the pressureexerted on the bar 50 by the bracket.

The adjustment of the bracket with respect to the supporting bar may beeffected upon withdrawal of locking means which cooperate with thenotches ($0 on the supporting bar 50. The levers or lingers 58 and 59are disposed so as to enter the notches 60 and are by means of pinspivotally supported at 61 and 62 in the plate slot Q5. A. spring (33secured at its ends to arms (A of the levers normally tends to force thelingers into locking engagement with the notches and to hold thereby thebracket against lateral CllSPlElCBll'lQili] upon the supporting bar.

Another holding element or latch again is provided lor maintaining thelingers in operative position and for this purpose a lever 65 ispivotally mounted at 6b near the lower point of the clamping head, thislever being provided on one side with a notch 57 adapted to seatportions of the arms or when the lingers 58. 59 have been moved tolocking position. This lever, movable in a plane parallel. to the bar,is under the control ot a spring (58 which is secured to the lower sideof the bracket, whereby the lever is normally drawn into the latchingposi lilt tion indicated at Fig. 4, to hold the handles 6-1 in operativeposition.

A plunger 70 is slidable in vertical direction in a cylindrical bore 71voit' the bracket 53. Thisiplunger is provided with a reduced extension52, which is surrounded by a. hel'i cal .spring73 restingat one endagainst the shoulder voi" the plunger 70 and at the other end againstthe closing portion at the top of the .bore. The plunger terminates ,atthe bottom end in an extension which has a V- shaped conical socket 7.5to grip the head of a knob K and to hold thereby the knob inpredetermined position on the outer surface of the saxophone body 10.Rotation of the plunger 70 about its axis is prevented through a lockingscrew 76 which ente s through the bracket into a keyway 77 in the upperpart of the plunger. Excessive downward movement of the plunger 70 underthe action of the spring 72 is prevented owing to :the provision of ahead 80 screwed to the top of the plunger. A latch 90 is pivotallymounted atSlon .top vot the bracket and the rear portion 82 ot the latchis connected by a spring .83 to .an anchor screw 84 secured in thebracket. The plunger has near the top .a notch 78 into which the latch Jenters when the plunger has been with drawn to inoperative position. Bythis means theplungeris held upward while its bracket is being adjusted.

In the operation of the i'iiachine the saxophone ;body is placed withthe enlarged cnduin the mandrel '5 and .is securedagainst rotationrelatively thereto by the plug 13,. The reduced end lot the saxophonebody receives theshank 22 which is then pressed inward owing to theaction of the spring 19. Axial or .c tcum't'ercntial movement of thebody relatiiiely to the supports thereby prevented.

The knobs K are usually arranged in axial series having predeterminedspacings. The

brackets 53 are shown adjusted in -Fig. 1 to spacing 1 t 6 10 16 23.This axial series may have a certain circumferthen enter the pertainingsocket- 235 on the wheel. A 'ter the indexing has been ellected,

the brackets 53 are adjusted on the support ing1bar50 to movelongitudinally of the body until they have reached the predeterminedmarking on the supporting liar.

These clamping heads may readily be shifted on the supporting bar uponwithdrawal of the fingers 58, 59 from the pertaining notches 60, theplungers being locked by latch 90 in raised position. lVhen a brackethas reached the pi'eclet'ermined position the levers '64: are releasedand the fingers Will .then enter automatically the notches .60 and holdthe bracket against movement in either way.

The plungers are released from latch 90 anaa knob has been placed underthe same. The knob is then held in predetermined position on the outersurface of the saxophone body .and after having a flux applied to thesaxophone body, the operator may solder the base of the knob in exactlythe desired position on-the body. It will be seen that in this way arelatively large number of knobs may be positioned properly and thepermanent attachment of a large number of these knobs can readily beaccomplished in very short time.

One of the brackets preferably as shown in Fig. 1 at the right hand endcarries a plunger 7'0, "which terminates in a point engaginga valve box92 so as to secure this valve box in position, whereby the soldering orpermanent attachment of the valve box may also be accomplisl-ied. Anyreference to knob positioning devices in the appended claims istherefore to be understood'to include positioning devices for otherprojections on the saxophone body.

1 claim: 7

1. In amachine of the character described, the combination with asupport for a taperiug instrument body to be provided with projections,positioning devices for retaining said projections at predeterminedpoints on said body, and a common support for said positioning device's,said common support being inclined with respect to the axis of theinstrument body and the support or the body.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with asupport of a tapering instrument body to be provided with knobs, aplurality of knob positioning devices axially adjustable oi said body,and a common support for said positioning devices, said common supportbeing inclined with respect to the axis of the support at an anglecorresponding to the angle of the taper of the instrument body.

3. In a knob positioning machine, a supporting element, and apositioning device including a bracket movable on said supportingelement and means carried by said bracket tor locking the bracket inselectively predetermined positions on said element.

4-. "In a knob positioning machine for an instrumentbody,a supportingbar provided with notches, a knob positioning device slidable on saidsupporting bar, and locking means adapted to enter the notches torretaining the positioning device. in selectively predetermined positionthereon.

5. In a knob positioningmachine tor ii:-

strument bodies, a supporting bar having notches, a bracket; slidable onthe bar, a spring controlled finger on said body adapted to successivelyenter the notches for lock ing the bracket in predetermined position onthe bar, and a positioning member supported by the bracket.

6. In a knob positioning machine for instrument: bodies, a supportingbar provided with notches, a bracket slidable on said bar, 11 eans onthe bracket For automatically engaging selected notches to lock thebracket against displacement on the bar, and a positioning member in thebracket.

7. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, thecombination of a supporting bar, a. bracket, a positioning member on thebracket, and automatically acting means on the bracket for locking thebracket on said bar, said automatically acting means being manuallyreleasable.

S. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, thecombination of a supporting bar, a bracket slidable on said bar, apositioning member connected with the bracket, the supporting bar beingprovided with notches extending transversely thereof, a pair of bellcrank levers supported on the bracket, and means for normally forcingsaid bell crank levers into locking engagement with said notches.

9. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, thecombination of a supporting bar provided with notches extendingtransversely of the bar, a bracket slidably disposed on said bar, apositioning member connected with the bracket, a pair of leverssupported in said bracket and adapted to enter the notches, and a springacting on both of said levers and adapted to "force them into lockingengagement with said notches.

it). In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, thecombination of a supporting bar provided with sets of notches intransverse alinement, a bracket slidably mounted on said bar, leversoscillatably supported in said bracket, said levers having armsextending normally parallel to a surtaco ot the bar and adapted to enteralined notches, and said levers having angular arms adapted to bemanually actuated for the withdrawal of said bars "from said. notches.

ll. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, a supportingbar, a positioning bracket slidable on said supporting bar, automaticmeans for locking said brackct on selectively predetern'iined points oithe bar, and additional locking means for retaining the first namedlocking means in operative position.

12. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, thecombination of a supporting bar, a positioning bracket movable on saidbar, locking means for holding said bracket on selectively predeterminedpoints on said bar, and a latch tor said locking means.

13. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, a supportingbar, a positioning bracket slidable on said bar, means movable in planestransversely of said bar for retaining said bracket in selectivelypredetermined position on the bar, and means movable in a plane parallelto the bar for retaining the locking means in predetermined position.

14. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, a positioningbracket, and a spring controlled plunger movable within said bracket.

15. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrun'ient bodies of circularcross-section, a positioning bracket containing a plunger, and means forforcing said plunger radially oi the instrument body towards the same.

16. In a knob positioning mechanism for an instrument body, thecombination of a bracket, a knob positioning plunger slidable withinsaid bracket, means for automatically moving said plunger in apredetermined direction, and means for retaining said plunger againstrotation.

17. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, thecombination of a po sitioning bracket, a spring controlled plungelslidable therein, and means entering through the bracket into theplunger tor pre-- venting rotation of the plunger.

18. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, apositioningbracket, a plunger slidable therein, means tor normally forcing saidplunger in a predetermined direction, and means for locking said plungenagainst movement in said direction.

19. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, thecombination of a positioning bracket, a plunger movable therein, theplunger having a. transverse notch, and a spring controlled latchadapted to enter said notch and to retain said plunger in predeterminedposition.

20. In a knob positioning mechanism tor instrument bodies, a positioningbracket, a plunger supported. thereby, means for automatically movingthe plunger to operative position, and means for holding the plunger ininoperative position.

21. In a. knob positioning mechanism for instrun'ient bodies, apositioning bracket, a.

plunger supported thereby, means for automatically moving the plunger tooperative position, and manually operable means for holding the plungerin inoperative position.

22. In a knob positioning mechanism for an instrun'ient body, apositioning bracket, a plunger slidable therein, means in the bracketfor forcing the plunger downward, and means for retaining said plungerin raised position.

23. In a knob positioning mechanism for an instrument body, a supportingbar, a bracket slidable thereon, a positioning plunger located in saidbracket, a jib interposed between said bracket and said bar, and meansfor varying the pressure 01" the jib against the bar.

24. In a knob positioning mechanism for instrument bodies, a supportingbar, a positioning bracket slidably mounted thereon and supported fromthe upper edge of said bar, means for varying the pressure of saidbracket against said bar, and a positioning plunger in the bracket.

25. In a knob positioning mechanism, a positioning bracket, a plungermovably supported there-by, a supporting bar on which the bracket isslidable, a jib carried by the bracket and engaging the edge of the bar,

and means carried on the bracket for varying the pressure of said jibagainst the bar.

26. In a knob positioning mechanism for an instrument body, thecombination of a positioning bracket, a plunger movably supportedthereon, and means for moving said plunger to operative position, saidplunger being provided with a knob engaging socket at its operative end.

27. In a knob positioning mechanism for an instrument body, apositioning plunger, a rotary support for the body circumferentiallyadjustable with respect to said plunger, an indexing Wheel fixed on saidrotary support, and a plurality of indexing pins operatively associatedwith said indexing wheel.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto affixed myisignature this 9th day ofNovember, 1922.

EDWARD J. GULIOK.

